Trump Orders 'Most Devastating' Economic Campaign to Isolate Iran

Overview

• On Thursday President Donald Trump announced a campaign he called the “most devastating” economic operation against Iran and warned that any country or institution that sustains Tehran would face severe penalties.
• Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters he will give detailed rules on Monday and said the plan aims to asphyxiate Iran financially so large‑scale U.S. military operations would not be needed.
• Iran’s military leadership publicly vowed a broad and “devastating” response to new U.S. threats, signaling a risk of escalation beyond economic measures.
• Analysts and reporting note major enforcement challenges because Iran has decades of sanction‑evasion tools, China was the main maritime buyer of Iranian oil in 2025, and Gulf financial hubs and shadow networks channel trade and payments.
• Markets moved on the announcement with higher oil prices and inflation concerns, Gulf states and Beijing expressed reluctance to be targeted, and ordinary Iranians are already facing steep price rises and shortages that the campaign would deepen.